1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in a baseball glove (hereinafter simply as glove) and a palm member used to manufacture the glove.
2. Description of the Background Art
A player cannot have a good feel when he/she puts on a conventional glove when the glove is new. Therefore, the player must bend the entire finger portion a number of times or repeat playing catch to form a pocket portion (space to hold a ball) until the glove comes to fit the hand well enough for the player to stably catch a ball.
An example of a pattern 2a used for manufacturing a conventional glove will be now described. In conventional pattern 2a, as shown in FIG. 10 for example, the central line 81 of a thumb portion 31a and the central line 82 of an index finger portion 32a cross at an angle of not less than 90.degree. and the crossing point is positioned on a ball receiving surface 4a, but out of the center and near the knuckle parts of thumb portion 31a and index finger portion 32a.
The central line 81 of thumb portion 31a and the central line 82 of index finger portion 32a cross at an angle of not less than 90.degree., and therefore, the crossing angles of the central lines 82 to 85 between index finger portion 32a and a middle finger portion 33a, middle finger portion 33a and a third finger portion 34a, and third finger portion 34a and a little finger portion 35a are small. As a result, central lines 82 to 85 cross at positions apart from ball receiving surface 4a.
A glove manufactured using this type of pattern 2a is adapted to hold a ball between the thumb portion and the other finger portions rather than capture it on the ball receiving surface. Such a glove does not enable good catching in the early stage of use as it is new, and therefore the glove is for example intentionally deformed as follows before use. More specifically, the glove is bend a number of times as if it holds a ball or catching is repeated with the glove in order to curve the glove inward. Thus, the pocket portion is created in the glove, which makes it easier to catch a ball.
FIGS. 11 to 13 are views of a conventional glove 1 after a pocket portion 7 is formed by way of illustration. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, pocket portion 7 is positioned on ball receiving surface 4 but near the web 6 provided between the thumb stall and the index finger stall. If glove 1 is used to catch a ball, the ball will be caught at a position near the web 6 rather than the center of ball receiving surface 4. As shown in FIG. 13, when glove 1 is used to catch a grounder, the gap between the third finger stall or little finger stall and ground 9 will be large. This also causes a ball to be caught at a position near the web 6.
Meanwhile, when a player is to catch a baseball with his/her bare hands, the most natural and balanced catching is performed when the ball is captured by the central part of the palm portion.
With conventional glove 1 as shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, however, pocket portion 7 is positioned near the web 6, and it is difficult to catch a ball at the central portion of the palm. In other word, it is difficult to catch a ball in a stable and well-balanced manner.